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St. Ansgar Centennial History

1853 - 1953

 

Part 2


 

 

 

More Photos of Pioneers

 

Carl W. Clausen

 

Peter Golberg

 

Ole Halvorson

 

Mrs. Bergetha H. Olson

 

Martin Clausen

 

Mrs. Ingeborg H. Iverson

 

Ole E. Olson

 

T.M. Tollefson

 

Liv Rust Tollefson

 

Mrs. Swen Strand

 

DESCENDANTS

    (As far as the committee knows, only the names of those descendants are included who have set up their own homes in this community.)

    As proof that the Rev. Clausen and his followers chose wisely in locating their new homes here, we have but to note the number of their descendants who consider the place chosen the most desirable location for their own homes today, Many are living on the land secured by their ancestors one hundred years ago.

    We have compiled a list of these St. Ansgarites and the original settler each represents, It is an interesting list in which we take pride:

Rev. C.L. Clausen Mikkel Tollefson Rust Clifford Tollefson, Luther Tollefson, Mrs. George Halvorson, Mrs. Ted Carlson, Mrs. Darold Bless, Mrs. Howard Bless, Mrs. Leland Larson. Hans Smesrud Halvorson Mrs. George Johnson, George Halvorson, Mrs. Maria Dahl, Mrs. Darrel Cowell, Mrs. Carl Dahl, Clarence Halvorson, Alton Halvorson, Gerald L. Halvorson, Clara Halvorson, Martin Halvorson, Irvin Halvorson, Elmer Halvorson, Selmer Johnson, Kenneth Johnson, Mrs. Lloyd Kroneman, Avery Halvorson. Jacob Asleson Anton Groth, Mrs. I. Wahl, Nellie Tollefson, William Groth, Clara Groth, Alma Groth, Luther Tollefson, Kathryn Groth, Gaylord Groth, Monrad Houg, Mrs. Clifford Warrington. Assor Knudson Assorson Alfed Assorson. Hans (Rust) Hanson Mrs. Blanche Hanson, Henry Hanson, Halvor Hanson, Mrs. Hans Borsheim. Halvor Thorson Clara Thorson, Blanche Thorson, Henry Thorson, Floyd Kittleson, Mrs. Dale Johnson, Galen Kittleson. Eric Thorson (Sagabraaten) Clifford Thorson, Mrs. Wilmer Feldt, Mrs. Harvey Kroneman, Mrs. Robert Rustad, Leon Thorson, Annis Thorson, Mrs. O. W. Tesch, Eugene Thorson, Donald Thorson, Mrs. Dean Hansen, Mrs. Virgil Horgen, Harold Thorson. Tollef Grove Mrs. George Brenna, G. Orlando Brennaa, Ole Hanson (Haugerud), Caroline Erickson, Elvina Erickson.

 

 

JUST HOME FOLKS

    America has been called the Melting Pot and St. Ansgar has been truly American in that it has become the home of people from many nations, While the Norwegians were the original settlers, it was
Mrs. Peter Benson
not long before the people from other nationalities arrived, bringing with them many worthwhile customs from their home land, The Irish, the English, the Scotch, the Dane, the Bohemian, the Swede, all helped in the up building of St. Ansgar.

    In 1855, the Owens, F. Tucker, James Patterson and family and Jonathan Allen came and entered actively into the life of the new community. Later, such names as Sweet, Martin, Clyde, Rhames, Rossiter, Hume, Sherman, Thurston, Faville, Howland, Brown, Burroughs, McCarthy, Dermody, and Wardell appeared on the pioneer roll. Many who came later were pioneers in every sense of the word, doing their part in the building of this new settlement.

    East of St. Ansgar, we find a Bohemian settlement under the leadership of J. F. Peshak. These people came about 1868 and settled on the prairie east of town. They engaged in farming and today some of our most progressive farmers are to be found in this section--people who are thrifty and industrious. This group of settlers included the
Mrs. Kirsti Asleson Groth
Maderas, the Zemaneks, the Spechts, Sedlaceks, Cherneys and Krulishes.

    Another group of settlers important in the development of the St. Ansgar community was the Germans. This group, like the Norwegians, migrated from Wisconsin. In the early summer of 1866, the Lubiens brothers and families started out from Leeds, Wisconsin; about the same time, C. C. Miller and R. Helfritz came with their families from Columbus, Wisconsin arriving in Newburg in July of 1866. Here Mr. Miller engaged in the very important wagon making business. The Lubiens and Helfritz families engaged in the mercantile business. Later, when the railroad was built to St. Ansgar, all of these families moved to St. Ansgar and became a vital part of the town; All of them opened stores,

    The Swedes came at a later date and included the Juline, Anderson, Medin and Lovestrum families.

    The Danes, including the Lund, Nissen, Hansen, Nelson, and Fedson families, arrived still later.
Colbjorn Hanson Rust
The descendants of these early settlers make up a large part of our present population. Few of these names have disappeared.

    The pioneer life was difficult. Log houses were chinked with mud or clay, which, as it dried, dropped out causing the housewife extra work and giving more fresh air than was needed. The floors were made of slabs or puncheons with smooth side, if such they had, up. The roofs were made of poles covered with clapboards and were not always waterproof. The heating was done by means of a fireplace and wood. The fireplace was also used for cooking. It was made of logs and lined with stones. Windows were few and the door, (there was usually but one in each cabin,) had a latch string. Many of these cabins consisted of but one room with a loft used as a sleeping apartment and as a store room.

    Cooking utensils and furniture were scarce. Much of the furniture was very simple and home-made. For this reason, cabinet making was an important early industry. Dishes and cutlery were not numerous and, if once broken or lost, these were not easily replaced. The food was simple-corn bread and vegetables raised, wild benies, plums, crabapples, game-fish and 'lute fisk og lefse'. Much of the bread was made from
Dr. A.D. Bundy
cornmeal, sometimes raised and sometimes flat. Milk and mush was a favorite evening dish.

    Clothing was treated with great respect. The materials were much more substantial than those of today-homespun cloth and homemade clothes. Later, calico was to be had for 8 to 13 cents a yard and sheeting for 4 to 6 cents a yard.

    Most of the lighting in the early homes was done by candles. Many a pioneer child's work was the putting of candle wicking into the candle mould. On the cold winter nights, the melted tallow was poured into the mould. The next morning twelve glossy, cream-white candles were lifted out. Kerosene was expensive, being sold for a number of years at 75 cents a gallon. Canning was not done in the early days. Fresh fruit, vegetables and meat could be enjoyed only in season. Smoke houses were later built for curing meat. Meal getting and meal serving were not very complicated.

 

 

 

Continue to Part 3


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